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Churches are vital to the health of their communities. And if the church isn’t connected to its community, the fault lies on the church, not the community.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM GUSTAVO
When a church seems content with having no impact in their community and having their members commute from outside the community, what reason can you give them to see the importance of turning that around?
Episode Highlights:
- A church that does not live in its community is often not involved in its community.
- The most positive impact on a neighborhood should come from churches in that neighborhood.
- Don’t resent your community for not responding to your church like they once did.
- As churches, we are making a poor representation of God when we do not love and reach our communities.
- Your church is there for the community. The community is not there for your church.
- Serving Christians are often joyful Christians.
The four critical understandings we discuss are:
- Understand the community has changed
- Understand the level to which they have been blessed
- Understand the community as an opportunity to display love
- Understand it is obedience
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
- ChurchReplanters.com
- ChurchAnswers.com
- Replanter Assessment
- Find more resources at the Revitalize & Replant page at ThomRainer.com
Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.
Submit Your Question:
Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.
There is a church in our area that approached the local city council and asked “How can our church help this city?” I don’t know all the details that came out of that meeting – but I do know that the church now has all kinds of outreach programs to help people who need assistance around their houses, etc. That church is a great example of what churches can all be like.
I think one of the greatest community needs right now is in the High Schools. We need to sponsor Christian groups that reach out to High School students. High School kids are so in need of mature Christians who can Love them and Teach them about Salvation and the Ways of Jesus. The kids are lost without that outreach from local churches.
Barry-Spot on. I have always said when a church is in the community and there is no change within the community-the fault lies soley on the church and her disobedience to the will of God.
Cf. C. Kirk Hadaway’s book “Church Growth Principles: Separating Fact from Fiction”–a bit dated now in terms of examples, but principles do not change.
The only local congregations that have been able to get away with being “ex-neighborhood churches” (or, congregations whose members no longer live in their neighborhoods) consistently for a time are First churches (e.g., First Baptist Church, First Methodist Church, First Whatever Church) that began in what became a downtown area as their communities grew after their establishment.
Eventually, though, members who moved to the suburbs years ago and must drive past 5 or 10 other church campuses to reach their own on Sundays instead decide to stop in to visit one of those closer-to-home churches one weekend–and find it to be at least as friendly and etc., and then never drive the greater distance back to the campus of their membership. They–and their talents and tithes–now go to a church new for them. Congregations can spend tens of millions of dollars to combat the matter (cf. FBC-Dallas) but human nature always is what it is . . .
Organizational health relates to what the group (i.e., two or more people) is: a social system. The research: social systems (or, purposeful people-groups, like churches and Christian publishing houses and entire nations and donut shops selling pastries and coffee, etc.) must address well EVERY SINGLE DAY four main problems in order to sustain their own existences (which is job-1) and experience even better tomorrows (which is job-2). Thom and LifeWay can assist with the addressing part of this, but the four problems are: integration, motivation, adaptation, and goal achievement. Do not do these = do not be healthy organizationally, or serve the community or accomplish biblical mission (or have many more chances to repeat each one because unhealthy things tend to die). I know what your church’s future probably looks like when I know what you understand about social systems :-))
Worth noting in reflection, at the continent’s foundation the church had a critical role in the care and feeding of the community – in fact, Parishes were the source of education, welfare, and strengthening the community. The Parish I serve has been around, sometimes without clergy but around none the less, since 1642. The lay leaders of this Parish took care of widows, orphans, coordinated the building of structures and barns, and any other number of things in the community. Even in the 30 years there were no services held the lay leaders still had a job within the community.
The growth and decline cycles seem to follow the shifts in focus from inward looking to outward looking. Struggles come after “keeping up with the Joneses” and the periods of growth follow a renewed focus on being in the community.
Thank you for reminding churches that their real ministry is the nuts and bolts of life. Being in community provides tangible witness to the love we are called to engender as Christians.
A local church should be known and esteemed in the community as a force for good. Then, if the time should come when it must take a negative stand on a matter,, it does so from a position of strength and goodwill. Unfortunately, churches may not be known by the community except for negative positions.
Donald Shoemaker
Pastor Emeritus
Grace Community Church of Seal Beach CA